Boyd Trophy

The Boyd Trophy is a silver model of a Fairey Swordfish, which was presented by the Fairey Aviation Company Limited in 1946, in commemoration of the work for Naval Aviation of Admiral Sir Denis Boyd, KCB, CBE, DSC RN. It is awarded annually to the naval pilot(s) or aircrew who, in the opinion of the Flag Officer, Naval Air Command, has achieved the finest feat of aviation during the previous year. It is held by the ship, station or establishment in which the winner(s) was/were serving at the time the winning feat was achieved.

List of Boyd Trophy Recipients[1][2]
Year Recipient Reason
1946 Lt.Cdr. D.B. Law
Lt. Reynolds 		Formation aerobatic display in Seafires at St Merryn.
1947 Lt.Cdr. H.J. Mortimore,
CO of 733 Squadron 		Leading a flight of three Expeditors from Trincomalee to Lee-on-Solent in adverse weather conditions.
1948 Lt.Cdr. E.M. Brown,
RAE Farnborough 		Trials with Rubber Deck.
1949 1830 Squadron RNVR 205 accident free deck landings during embarked period in HMS Illustrious.
1950 17th Carrier Air Group,
HMS Theseus 		Operations in Korea.
1951 814 Squadron Night flying in HMS Vengeance.
1952 802 and 825 Squadrons Operations in Korea.
1953 848 Squadron Operations in Malaya.
1954 Naval Test Squadron,
Boscombe Down 		Improvements to RN aircraft.
1955 806 Squadron Pioneering the Sea Hawk at sea, and for contributions to tactical investigation in night strike role.
1956 Search and Rescue Flight,
RNAS Lossiemouth. Lieut. R.H. Williams, C.P.O. A. Japp 		Search and Rescue Flight. Crew of a wrecked Norwegian vessel (SS Dovrefjell) off the Pentland Firth, Scotland rescued, by two R.N Westland Whirlwind helicopter crews. 3 February 1955.
1957 Not awarded -
1958 845 Squadron Operations in the Persian Gulf, and salvage of SS Melika.
1959 781 Squadron Efficiency in communication flights.
1960 831 Squadron Efficiency in training with the fleet.
1961 HMS Protector's Flight Efficiency in Antarctica.
1962 815 Squadron Bringing the Wessex HAS.1 into service, pioneering night and all-weather ASW tactics and Wessex SAR procedures.
1963 846 Squadron Operations in Borneo.
1964 845 Squadron Services in defence of Malaysia.
1965 759 Squadron Converting Jet Provost pilots to Hunter aircraft.
1966 No. 849C Flight Outstanding Performance in HMS Ark Royal during Mozambique patrol.
1967 801 Squadron Bringing the Buccaneer S.2 into service.
1968 814 Squadron Bringing the Wessex HAS.3 to a high state of operational effectiveness at sea.
1969 Lt.Cdr. P.C. Marshall, AFC Exceptional skill and personal courage in bringing a badly damaged Phantom safely back to base.
1970 Lt.Cdr. V. Sirrett The work of 700S Squadron, the Sea King Intensive Flying Trials Unit (IFTU).
1971 826 Squadron,
HMS Eagle 		Rescue of crew from SS Steel Vendor. In bad weather, two Sea King helicopters took off the crew of 40.
1972 Lt.Cdr. Davis
Lt. C.D. Walkinshaw
Lt. Park
Lt. Lucas 		Flying 2,800 miles from HMS Ark Royal to Belize. The operation involved two Buccaneers flown in a show of strength to deter Guatemala from invading British Honduras as it was then known.
1973 Not awarded -
1974 Lt. I. McKechnie,
HMS Andromeda Flight 		Evacuation of refugees from Cyprus.
1975 Not awarded -
1976 Lt.Cdr. K.M.C. Simmons
Lt. T.J. MacMahon
Lt. A.B. Ross
CPO ACM E.A. Butler
HMS Antrim Flight 		Rescue off Iceland.
1977 700L Squadron, the Lynx IFTU Introducing the Lynx into Naval service.
1978 Aircrews of Culdrose squadrons Outstanding record of rescues, medical and humanitarian flights during the year.
1979 HMS Fife Flight Outstanding performance in Dominica, following the devastation caused by Hurricane David.
1980 Not awarded. -
1981 801 Squadron Outstanding achievements in operating the Sea Harrier, embarked in HMS Invincible.
1982 Cdr. T.J.H. Gedge Leadership on the ground and in the air, perseverance, skill, professional knowledge and control.
1983 705 Squadron Excellent overall performance, training achievement, outstanding airmanship and exceptional contribution to the prestige of Naval Aviation.
1984 846 Squadron Operations off Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war.[3]
1985 815 Squadron, HMS Beaver Flight, No. 244 Flight CASEVAC of two casualties from the Japanese freighter REEFER DOLPHIN 400 miles southwest of Lands End in the early hours of 7 October. Recovery of the casualties was carried at night in heavy seas and high winds caused by the tail end of Hurricane Gloria.[4][5]
1986 849 Squadron
1987 Not awarded.
1988 815 Squadron, 829 Squadron
1989 815 Squadron, HMS Alacrity Flight, No. 233 Flight
1990 829 Squadron, HMS Sheffield Flight, No. 234 Flight
1991 845 Squadron
1992 771 Squadron
1993 845 Squadron

References

Citations
  1. ^ Sturtivant, p.488
  2. ^ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 383.
  3. ^ "Boyd Trophy for 846 Sqn". Air Pictorial. Vol. 47, no. 8. August 1985. p. 288.
  4. ^ Daily Express 8 October 1985. 'Helicopter heroes in sea storm battle'.
  5. ^ Official MOD Citation for The Boyd Trophy 1985
Bibliography